The present invention relates to a novel process for preparing D-(-)-N-carbamoyl-2-(phenyl or substituted phenyl)glycines, and more particularly to a process for preparing D-(-)-N-carbamoyl-2-(phenyl or substituted phenyl)glycines by biochemically hydrolyzing 5-(phenyl or substituted phenyl)hydantoins by employing a cultured broth, cells or treated cells of microorganisms.
It is well known that D-(phenyl or substituted phenyl)glycines are available intermediates of antibiotics such as semi-synthetic penicillins and semi-synthetic cephalosporins. These intermediates are generally prepared by resolving the DL-forms, which are obtained by chemical syntheses, by means of a chemical or biochemical method. For instance, as a process for preparing such intermediates by the biochemical method of resolution, there are known a process for preparing D-phenylglycine comprising asymmetrically hydrolyzing DL-N-chloroacetylphenylglycine by employing acylase and a process for preparing D-4-methoxyphenylglycine comprising asymmetrically hydrolyzing DL-N-acyl-(4-methoxyphenyl)glycine by employing aminoacylase. These processes require the use of the expensive acylase enzyme and also require a step of racemization and a step of recovering a residual optical isomer.